Ads by GamingCandy: what it is and how to remove it

Even though the developers of GamingCandy (GameCandy) claim that the function of this program is to let the users play various flash games, its actual function is identical to other programs like Surf Speed Monitor, Web Bar, and Linkey Deals promising good shopping deals or measuring your Internet speed. They are all designed to trick you into using them for their seemingly useful features.

Facts checked October 7, 2026. Removal steps tested on Windows 11 (26H2) and checked against Microsoft's and the browser makers' current documentation. Sections marked as our earlier report are the original text: they describe the threat as it was then and have not been reviewed since. The 2026 status, the removal steps and the questions are current.

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Ads by GamingCandy: gaming candy
Ads by GamingCandy as our 2015 report showed it.

Ads by GamingCandy: summary

Detection namesNo Microsoft detection name is known
DistributionNot recorded in the old report
DamageNot recorded in the old report
NameAds by GamingCandy
TypeAd-supported program
SymptomsAn unknown program in Installed apps
Removal

Scan the PC with security software to find and remove the malware and anything installed with it. Fortect scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged.

Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free.
Show 4 more facts
EvidenceOne write-up by a security site; details still limited
ProgramAds by GamingCandy
First seen7 July 2015
Facts checked7 October 2026

Is Ads by GamingCandy dangerous?

From our report of Jul 2015 · not reviewed since

WHAT IS GAMINGCANDY?

Even though the developers of GamingCandy (GameCandy) claim that the function of this program is to let the users play various flash games, its actual function is identical to other programs like Surf Speed Monitor, Web Bar, and Linkey Deals promising good shopping deals or measuring your Internet speed. They are all designed to trick you into using them for their seemingly useful features.

However, they are all created to generate revenue for their creators, which receive income every time a user clicks on the ad displayed by this application. For this and many other reasons GamingCandy is classified as an adware and potentially unwanted program (PUP) that you should avoid at all costs.

This classification is fully justified by at least several traits of this program. First of all, as most of the programs of this sort, GamingCandy adware is installed on user's computer without his or her permission and knowledge.

Second of all, all of the ads with the text underneath them like"Ads by GamingCandy", Powered by GamingCandy", "Brought to you by GamingCandy", "You've received a premium offer from GamingCandy" or "Ads by GamingCandy" are provided by its sponsors and GamingCandy developers receive income every time you click on these links (they employ per-per-click advertising model).

It is very likely that you will click on them at one point or another because they cover most of the pages you are looking at online and pop-up in new windows and tabs.

Therefore, you might be redirected to suspicious websites which might infect your computer and offer various dangerous options like installation of fake updaters, etc. What is more, GamingCandy adware collects various browsing-related data like IP addresses the websites you are browsing, search queries, details you are entering, etc. This information might be personally identifiable.

What makes it even worse is that this information might be transferred to third parties and result in some serious jeopardy to your data security as cyber criminals can user it for some malicious purposes like identity theft. For this reason, GamingCandy is not a program you should have on your computer. Remove it as soon as possible using some reputable anti-spyware like .

Ads by GamingCandy: gaming candy en.jpg?6995
Ads by GamingCandy in our 2015 report.

From our report of Jul 2015 · not reviewed since

HOW CAN GAMINGCANDY HIJACK MY COMPUTER?

The most usual scenario involves users downloading bundled programs.

Users usually intended to download some free software which comes in a package with third party software they have not been informed about. The information about such potentially unwanted programs is usually provided in Advance and Custom options which most of the users skip.

Therefore, you should always check these options and deselect any programs that you do not know or intend to use. Moreover, avoid various download managers and installers that usually distribute bundled programs.

How to remove Ads by GamingCandy

Uninstall first, then remove what stays behind, so the ads do not come back after a restart.

  1. Step 1: Uninstall Ads by GamingCandy

    Ads by GamingCandy is removed like any other program, from the list of installed apps. In Windows 11 that is Settings > Apps > Installed apps, in Windows 10 Settings > Apps > Apps & features, and in both you can also use Control Panel > Programs and Features.

    Select Ads by GamingCandy, click Uninstall and follow the uninstaller to the end. Then look at the entries just above and below it when the list is sorted by date: bundled programs install at the same minute.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix

  2. Step 2: Remove it from startup

    Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager and select Startup apps (Windows 11) or the Startup tab (Windows 10). Disable entries you do not recognise, especially ones with no publisher or with a name that copies a Windows component.

    Right-click an entry and choose Open file location to see where it runs from: programs in %AppData% or %Temp% deserve a closer look. Some entries are not listed there but in the registry Run keys, which the procedure below shows how to check.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Stop apps from opening at startup On uGetFix

  3. Step 3: Delete the folders left behind

    Uninstalling often leaves the program's folders, and some threats reinstall themselves from them.

    Press Windows + R, type %LocalAppData% and press Enter, then do the same for %AppData% and %ProgramData%, and look for folders named after Ads by GamingCandy, its publisher or created on the day the problem started.

    Delete those folders, and check C:\Program Files and C:\Program Files (x86) too.

    If Windows says a file is in use, end it in Task Manager or delete the folder after a restart in Safe Mode. The folders are the same in Windows 11 and Windows 10.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Remove what malware leaves behind in Windows

  4. Step 4: Reset the browser

    A reset removes what the steps above could miss:

    • changed start pages
    • site permissions
    • hidden settings

    In Chrome open Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their original defaults; in Edge Settings > Reset settings; in Firefox Help > More troubleshooting information > Refresh Firefox.

    Tip: Bookmarks and saved passwords stay, while extensions are turned off and the search engine and start page return to the defaults.

    Reset every browser on the PC, including Edge, which Windows 11 and Windows 10 always have.

    Chrome Settings page with the Reset settings section open
    Chrome on Windows 11: Settings > Reset settings.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine

  5. Step 5: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan

    A scan finds the parts of Ads by GamingCandy that the manual steps cannot see. In Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, start a Full scan and quarantine what it reports.

    Follow it with Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) > Scan now, which restarts the PC and checks the disk while Windows and the malware are not running.

    It takes about 15 minutes and works the same in Windows 11 and Windows 10. If either scan finds something, run the full scan again after removal until it comes back clean.

    Windows Security Scan options with Microsoft Defender Antivirus offline scan selected
    Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan

Instructions for each browser and system

The detailed steps for every browser and system this guide covers. Open the one you use.

Uninstall from Windows

Uninstall from Windows 10/8:

  1. Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
  2. Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 10/8

Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:

  1. Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
  2. In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 7/XP

Remove the unwanted program:

  1. In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
  2. If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.Uninstall the unwanted program from Windows
Remove from Google Chrome

Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

  1. Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
  2. In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chrome

Clear cache and web data from Chrome:

  1. Click on Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
  3. Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
  4. Click Clear data.Clear cache and web data from Chrome

Change your homepage:

  1. Click menu and choose Settings.
  2. Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
  3. Click on Open a specific or set of pages and click on three dots to find the Remove option.

Reset Google Chrome:

If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
  3. Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
  4. Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
  5. Confirm with Reset settings.Reset Chrome 2
Remove from Microsoft Edge

Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:

  1. Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
  2. From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
  3. Click Remove.Remove extensions from Edge

Clear cookies and other browser data:

  1. Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
  2. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  3. Select Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.Clear Edge browsing data

Restore new tab and homepage settings:

  1. Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
  2. Then find On startup section.
  3. Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.

Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:

  1. Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
  3. Select Details tab.
  4. Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.Reset MS Edge
Instructions for Chromium-based Edge

Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):

  1. Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
  2. Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chromium Edge

Clear cache and site data:

  1. Click on Menu and go to Settings.
  2. Select Privacy, search and services.
  3. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  4. Under Time range, pick All time.
  5. Select Clear now.Clear browser data from Chroum Edge

Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. On the left side, pick Reset settings.
  3. Select Restore settings to their default values.
  4. Confirm with Reset.
  5. This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.Reset Chromium Edge
Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
  2. Select Add-ons.
  3. In here, select the unwanted extension and click Remove.Remove extensions from Firefox

Reset the homepage:

  1. Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
  2. Choose Settings.
  3. Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.

Clear cookies and site data:

  1. Click Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Go to Privacy & Security section.
  3. Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
  4. Click on Clear Data...
  5. Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.Clear cookies and site data from Firefox

Reset Mozilla Firefox

If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
  2. Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.Reset Firefox 1
  3. Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
  4. Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.Reset Firefox 2
Delete from Safari

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
  2. Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.Remove extensions from Safari

Clear history and website data:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
  2. Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.Clear history from Safari

Reset Safari:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
  2. Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
  3. From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.Reset Safari
Delete from macOS

Remove the unwanted application:

  1. From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
  2. In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).Uninstall from Mac

Delete leftover files and folders:

  1. Select Go > Go to Folder.
  2. Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
  3. Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.Delete leftover files from Mac
  4. Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.

Protect your privacy - employ a VPN

There are several ways how to make your online time more private - you can access an incognito tab.

However, there is no secret that even in this mode, you are tracked for advertising purposes. There is a way to add an extra layer of protection and create a completely anonymous web browsing practice with the help of VPN. This software reroutes traffic through different servers, thus leaving your IP address and geolocation in disguise.

Besides, it is based on a strict no-log policy, meaning that no data will be recorded, leaked, and available for both first and third parties. The combination of a secure web browser and VPN will let you browse the Internet without a feeling of being spied or targeted by criminals.

No backups? No problem. Use a data recovery tool

If you wonder how data loss can occur, you should not look any further for answers - human errors, malware attacks, hardware failures, power cuts, natural disasters, or even simple negligence.

In some cases, lost files are extremely important, and many straight out panic when such an unfortunate course of events happen. Due to this, you should always ensure that you prepare proper data backups on a regular basis.

If you were caught by surprise and did not have any backups to restore your files from, not everything is lost. is one of the leading file recovery solutions you can find on the market - it is likely to restore even lost emails or data located on an external device.

From our report of Jul 2015 · not reviewed since

HOW TO REMOVE GAMINGCANDY virus?

We would highly recommend you to remove this program from your computer using some reputable and trustworthy anti-spyware like .

While uninstalling is not a difficult process, bear in mind that you could have been potentially exposed to some third party websites which might feature suspicious content. Therefore, it is advisable to remove it and perform a complete system scan in order to remove potential infections.

Questions about Ads by GamingCandy

Can I safely uninstall Ads by GamingCandy?

If you did not install Ads by GamingCandy yourself and it is not part of your hardware or a program you rely on, yes. Uninstalling an unwanted program does not harm Windows.

Before you do, search the exact name and publisher to be sure it is not a driver tool, a printer utility or a game launcher with an odd name. Then remove it from Settings, Apps, Installed apps.

Ignore any offers or warnings in its uninstaller about losing protection or performance. Afterwards check Startup apps and your browsers for leftovers, and restart once to confirm that it does not reinstall itself.

Ads by GamingCandy came back after I uninstalled it. Why?

Something else is reinstalling it. Common causes are a second program from the same publisher, a scheduled task that downloads it again, or a browser extension that keeps prompting for it. Sort Installed apps by install date and uninstall each entry from the same day that you did not choose.

Then open Task Scheduler and look in the Task Scheduler Library for tasks with updater-style names that you do not recognise. Check Startup apps in Task Manager too. If Ads by GamingCandy still returns, start Windows in Safe Mode, uninstall it there and run a Microsoft Defender offline scan, which looks for loaders that ordinary scans can miss.

Ads by GamingCandy has no uninstaller. What now?

Some adware does not register itself properly, or its uninstaller only opens a web page. First try Settings > Apps > Installed apps and the older Control Panel > Programs and Features; one may list it when the other does not.

If neither works, disable its entry in Task Manager > Startup apps, restart, and run a Microsoft Defender full scan and offline scan, which remove known adware files. Then, if anything is left, delete the folder it ran from, which you can find by right-clicking the process in Task Manager and choosing Open file location.

Can adware slow down my PC?

Yes. Adware runs in the background, loads ad scripts, opens extra tabs and contacts its servers, all of which use processor time, memory and bandwidth. Ad-heavy extensions also slow down every page, because they inspect and change it before you see it.

The effect is strongest on older PCs and when several adware programs arrived together. After removal, restart the PC and check Task Manager for anything still using a lot of resources that you do not recognise. Speed usually returns to normal once the ads stop.

Does adware steal passwords?

Ordinary adware is built to show ads, not to steal logins, and most of it never touches saved passwords. The line is blurry, though. Extensions that can read every page could capture what you type, and adware ads sometimes lead to phishing pages that ask for passwords directly.

If you entered credentials on a page reached through an ad, change that password from a clean device and turn on two-step verification. Otherwise, removing ad-supported program and clearing cookies is usually enough.

I clicked on one of the ads. Am I infected?

Probably not. Clicking an ad usually only opens a page, and a page cannot install programs on an up-to-date Windows PC without your help.

You are at risk only if you then downloaded and ran a file, allowed notifications, entered card or login details, or called a phone number shown on the page. Delete any download and run a full and offline scan.

Change passwords you typed, from a clean device. Call your bank if you gave card details. If you called a number or allowed remote access, see the next question.

Why didn't my antivirus catch Ads by GamingCandy?

Many security products do not block adware or notification sites by default, because users often agreed to them, even through a misleading prompt. Notification spam installs nothing at all, so there is no file to detect.

In Windows 11 you can make Microsoft Defender block potentially unwanted apps: open Windows Security > App & browser control > Reputation-based protection settings and turn on Potentially unwanted app blocking. If notifications caused the pop-ups, no scanner will report them; the fix is in the browser's site settings.

An ad showed a phone number and I called it. What now?

The number belongs to scammers, not to Microsoft or an antivirus company. If you only talked, hang up and do not call back. If you let them connect to the PC, disconnect it from the internet, uninstall the remote access program they used, such as AnyDesk, TeamViewer, ScreenConnect or UltraViewer, and run a full and offline scan.

If you paid or gave bank details, call your bank at once on the number printed on your card. Change any passwords you typed while they were connected, and report the call.

Will Fortect remove Ads by GamingCandy?

Fortect scans Windows for malware and unwanted programs and repairs the system files and settings they change, and its free scan shows what it finds on your PC before you decide anything.

For Ads by GamingCandy, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.

Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.

Sources

  1. Google Chrome Help: Use notifications to get alerts (no longer online) (read October 7, 2026)
  2. FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 7, 2026)
  3. Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 7, 2026)
  4. Microsoft Learn: How Microsoft names malware (read October 7, 2026)

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